However, this is the work of the talented and patient Penny Pierce, a retired school principal. Entitled Snow Day, it likely prompted some great memories for her from those quiet school days when buses were cancelled due to snowy roads.

"To make this a Canadian snow day, I added skaters playing shinny and a maple leaf flag on the school," Penny says.

"And some wicked snowballers in the centers of the quilt!"

She embroidered and handquilted much of the quilt, using her machine for the piecing and some of the quilting.

In addition to the whimsical elements she described, I also admired the change in hues of her embroidery thread from black to cool blues within the characters. It certainly livened up an already charming quilt.

Penny deserved the red ribbon she won for this creation. Given how much snow days we've had lately, hopefully this image will cheer up some parents who have had to improvise when their children's buses have been cancelled.